Currently, Southwest has one way tickets from SF to LA at $59 which comes with two free checked bags of 50lbs each. I need to transport about 160lbs of stuff to LA which means I either need to check a 3rd bag for an additional $75 or… I could just buy a separate ticket for my bags and transport up to 200lbs of stuff for $16 cheaper.
But, I’m unclear as to the logistics behind this. Is it possible to buy two plane tickets under one name? How does that work with TSA? With the check-in people? Has anyone done this before?
It looks like, as long as I’m willing to buy a cello case, I can not only check 200lbs of luggage, I can also bring an additional 165lbs of luggage on the plane with me inside the cello case which, including all of my carryon, means I could conceivably ship 400lbs+ of stuff for just $118.
When I read the title on this thread, I thought you wanted a cheap way to ship something to someone else. That certainly would have been banned for security reasons, even many decades ago.
But now I see that you will be accompanying the freight, so that doesn’t apply. I’m now fascinated, and looking forward to see other responses.
On Southwest you get two pieces of checked baggage per ticketed customer. Free, as long as they meet the weight and size restrictions.
Fat people (“Customers of size” ) can buy two or more seats, but they are one customer. I do not think SW is likely to double the baggage limit just because two seats are purchased. (SW at one time tried to force fat people to buy two seats, but now they will give a second seat free, under the theory that being fat is a disability. If you don’t want to ask for a second seat free because you are embarrassed, SW will refund you the price of a second seat if you purchased it because of your enormousness.)
You can buy a second seat under the same passenger name for a securable musical instrument. You can’t bring a cello case inside the plane, b/c it is too big, so it has to be one of the checked baggage pieces. If it’s over 50 pounds or 150 total linear inches, it will get a surcharge.
You cannot be the same person but have a second ticket on the same flight–just a second seat.
SW does not post a carry on bag weight limit, but generally 25-35 pounds is the limit on most airlines and part of the reason is the capacity limit of the overhead compartment. However I have never been on an airline where anyone is actually weighing carry-ons. If you find a musical case that can be secured next to you in a seat, I don’t see a problem loading that sucker up with a couple hundred pounds of stuff as long as you get it past TSA. TSA is highly unpredictable and inconsistent, but if the cargo is benign, I’m not sure they actually have a beef. They do occasionally get a bug up their behinds for huge “carry-ons” but if you can show you purchased a seat for it, their protestations about FAA limits might be deflectable. I don’t know.
) can buy two or more seats, but they are one customer. I do not think SW is likely to double the baggage limit just because two seats are purchased. (SW at one time tried to force fat people to buy two seats, but now they will give a second seat free, under the theory that being fat is a disability. If you don’t want to ask for a second seat free because you are embarrassed, SW will refund you the price of a second seat if you purchased it because of your enormousness.)